Improvement in safes



UNITED STATES PATENT A.OT-'ETAGE THOMAS T. FURLONG AND DE WITT O. FREEMAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN SAFES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 59,207, dated October 30, 1866.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, THOMAS T. FURLoNe and DE WITT C. FREEMAN, of St. Louis, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented an Improved Floating Safe; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ot' this speciiication, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of the safe taken in the line :n w, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

The design of this inventionis to supply aiioating safe for the security and preservation of treasure and valuables at sea or on inland waters, in case of shipwreck or other destruction of a vesselon which they may be shipped; and it consists in providing therefor a hollow water and air tight buoy made of iron or other suitable metal, or of wood and metal combined, formed of an inner and an outer shell or casing, with an air-space between them proportioned to the size and weight of the safe and its contents to give the required buoyancy when thrown into the water.

The whole safe is to be made as to size and weight of the material used in construction and the things the safe may contain, with reference to the comparative specific gravities of air, water, and metal, or the buoyant power of air and space, relatively to the weight and form of material immersed in water, all of which data in the general and in particular may be determined with mathematical precision7 so that the different parts shall be constructed in due proportions, combining both strength and buoyancy in such degree that the safe shall be able to remain aiioat as long a time as necessary, and be uninjured materially by contact with rocks, if cast ashore.

1n Fig. l, A represents an outside shell o'r case of plate-iron, or other metal of any shape, though we prefer it round, or in the form of a cylinder or inverted truncated cone, the bottom being smaller than the'top. B is an inside case or box, of the same or other material, and

ofthe same general form of con struction, made much smaller than the outside case A, and resting on feet or projections a a, 'so that a large or duly proportioned air-space intervenes between them on the bottom and sides. C is a cover on the case B, to which it is hermetically secured by screwing. or bolting it on,V

forming an air and water tight compartment within. This cover extendsv over the space between the case B and the outside shell A, to which also it is hermetically secured by screw or otherwise, forming an air and water tight annular space between them.

On the top is a cap, D, which is screwed upon or otherwise hermetically secured to the upper edge of the outside case A, forming a large hollow space or air-compartment over the cover G, which space maybe made of any capacity to give the required buoyancy without encroaching on the room needed in the inside case'or safe compartment B. The cap D projects over the side or edge of the outside case A in the form of a round rim, b, which is also made hollow, if desired; or the rim may be left oft', if unnecessary, to give the required buoyancy and preserve the upright position of the safe to serve as a buoy. The cap should be painted, as usual, for this purpose. On the top of the cap is a hoist-ring, c.

On lthe side or other convenient part of the outer case'A is a circular or other opening for a passage to the inside safe B, in which is a corresponding opening, the two being counected by a tube, c, extending across the space between A and B. The opening in the outside case A is closed by a tubular door, E, which is screwed into it, the end being forced against a ring of india-rubber or gutta-percha when in place, thus hermetically closing the opening into the safe. The door Eis also hollow and forms an independent air-chamber, within which a lock can be placed with a keyhole cut in the outer end of the screw-door E;

and the key-hole can be made air and water tight by a spring-slide and gutta-percha cov- 811110.

Tlie passage into the safe must be large enough to admit the arm to reach every part of the inside safe, where the treasure or other valuables are to be placed for security.

We donot confine ourselves to anypztrticular form o1' shape of afloating safe,no1 of' the foi-n1 and number of' air spaces or chambers by which it is bnoyed up in the water, nor of' the materials employed in its construction, a1- thongh We prefer the general forms herein described and represented, and the materia-ls specied, as theT lna-y be modified and changed without departing' from the principles of construction involved in our invention.

Having fully described the construction and object of' our invention, what we claim its new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

'lhe outside case, A, the inside safe, B, the cap C, and the door'E, constructed and herlnetieally closed and connected, in the manner and for the purposes herein specified.

T. T. FURLONG. DE VITT C. FREEMAN.

Witnesses:

4N. G. GRIDLEY,

J osnUA LA DUO.4 

